Heath moving with the centre, as it ai)proached Valentine's house, ordered its cannonade by Cajjtain Bryant in case of resistance from the guard quartered there, and sent two hundred and fifty men at double-quick to the right into the hollow between the house and Fort Independence- to cut off the guard. Just then two British light horsemen, reconnoitering out the Boston road, came unexpectedly on the head of Wooster's column where the road descends to Williams' bridge. Before they could turn, a field-piece dismounted one, who was taken prisoner, while the other galloped back crying " The rebels ! the rebels ! " which set all

* The follow ing acconnt of the movement is condensed from Heath's and contem|iorary British reports.

■•Now and for nearly » century past the Vurian homestead, an ancient stone house on the nortlierly side of the road.

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

outguards and inckets running to the fort, leaving arms, blankets, provisions, tools, etc., behind. Those fleeing from Valentine's and the Negro Fort were fired on and one captured. The American left and centre were then moved into the hollow between Valentine's and Fort Independence, and the surrender of the latter was demanded and refused. The garrison consisted of a body of Hessians and Colonel Rogers' rangers. Heath sent a detachment with two field-pieces southward to the brow of the hill over, looking the Free Bridge, ' and opened fire on a bat. talion of Hessians drawn up across the Harlem, back of Hyatt's tavern. The enemy settled down as the shot passed them, and one piece being moved lower down, they retired rapidly behind their redoubt, -' receiving a shot as they were turning the point. The enemy now opened on Heath's artillerymen from guns he had not suspected to be in the redoubt, and the men hastily drew their pieces back, receiving several shots before they reached the top of the hill.